Histological classification of gastric adenocarcinoma for epidemiological research: concordance between pathologists.

Epidemiology of gastric adenocarcinoma suggests that intestinal-type and diffuse-type cancers develop through distinct causal pathways. To examine the differences in risk factors and molecular changes between the histological types, reliable data on histological typing are essential. We evaluated the concordance between two pathologists in assessment of 95 gastric adenocarcinomas for Laurén classification and tumor grade. Two pathologists, each blinded to the other's assessment, reviewed H&E-stained slides of gastric tumor. The responses of the two pathologists for histological type were considered as concordant if they fell on one of the three categories (intestinal type, diffuse type, or other). Tumor grade was classified into three categories (well, moderately, or poorly differentiated). The pathologists agreed on the classification of histological type for 71 of 92 (77%) tumors. Kappa coefficient was 0.59 (95% confidence interval, 0.44-0.73). Concordance for tumor grade was 87%, with a kappa coefficient of 0.72 (95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.87). Both observed concordance and kappa coefficient for histological type and tumor grade were similar across three calendar periods of study. Interobserver agreement was virtually identical between tumors with biopsy specimens only and those with surgical specimens. Although the level of disagreement for histological type observed in this study is comparable with that in other studies, the resulting misclassification would lead to the reduction in observed differences in prevalence and odds ratio estimates between two histological types.

Chemo-radiotherapy for localized pancreatic cancer: increased dose intensity and reduced acute toxicity with concomitant radiotherapy and protracted venous infusion 5-fluorouracil.

PURPOSE: Although concomitant radiation therapy (RT) and bolus 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) have been shown to improve survival in locally confined pancreatic cancer, most patients will eventually succumb to their disease. Since 1994, we have attempted to improve efficacy by administering 5-FU as a protracted venous infusion (PVI). This study compares treatment intensity and acute toxicity of consecutive protocols of concurrent RT and 5-FU by bolus injection or PVI. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Since 1986, 74 patients with resected or locally advanced pancreatic cancer were treated with continuous course RT and concurrent 5-FU by bolus injection (n = 44) or PVI throughout the course of RT (n = 30). Dose intensity was assessed for both 5-FU and radiotherapy. Toxicity endpoints which could be reliably and objectively quantified (e.g., neutropenia, weight loss, treatment interruption) were evaluated. RESULTS: Cumulative 5-FU dose (mean = 7.2 vs. 2.5 gm/m2, p < 0.001) and weekly 5-FU dose (mean = 1.3 vs. 0.5 gm/m2/wk, p < 0.001) were significantly higher for patients receiving PVI 5-FU. Following pancreaticoduodenectomy, 95% of PVI patients maintained a RT dose intensity of > or = 900 cGy/wk, compared with 63% of those receiving bolus 5-FU (p = 0.02). No difference was seen for patients with locally advanced disease (72% vs. 76%, p = n.s.). Grade II-III neutropenia was less common for patients treated with PVI (13% vs. 34%, p = 0.05). Grade II-III thrombocytopenia was uncommon (< or = 3%) in both treatment groups. Mean percent weight loss (3.8% vs. 4.1%, p = n.s.) and weight loss > or = 5% of pre-treatment weight (21% vs. 31%, p = n.s.) were similar for PVI and bolus treatment groups, respectively. Treatment interruptions for hematologic, gastrointestinal or other acute toxicities were less common for patients receiving PVI 5-FU (10% vs. 25%, p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: Concurrent RT and 5-FU by PVI was well tolerated and permitted greater chemotherapy and radiotherapy dose intensity with reduced hematologic toxicity and fewer treatment interruptions compared with RT and bolus 5-FU. Longer follow-up will be needed to assess late effects and the impact on overall survival.

A correlative morphologic study of human breast and endometrium in the menstrual cycle.

Seventy-five premenopausal women autopsied under medical examiner auspices were selected for a correlative study of breast and endometrial morphology proceeding through the menstrual cycle. Criteria for selection included adequate preservation of the endometrial and breast tissue, relatively even distribution of women by age (range 15-56), menstrual cycle date, and parity status. Hormonal therapy and disease states that might influence pituitary-ovarian cycling were reasons for exclusion from the study. Proliferative phase breast was characterized by small lobules with few terminal duct structures. Terminal duct epithelial mitoses were uncommon. Intralobular stroma was condensed and continuous with interlobular stroma. Secretory phase breasts were characterized by increasing size of lobules and number of terminal duct structures and duct epithelial basal vacuolization and mitoses. Intralobular stroma became increasingly loose and edematous. Stromal lymphocytic population increased toward the end of secretory phase. Perimenstrual breasts underwent lobular contraction with necrosis and sloughing of duct epithelium. There was a concomitant marked increase in lobular stromal lymphocytic infiltrate and metachromasia. These features heralded a return to the proliferative phase appearance. These marked cyclical changes have implications for routine pathologic diagnosis as well as for the newer noninvasive diagnostic techniques.

Diffusely infiltrative endometrial adenocarcinoma: an adenoma malignum pattern of myoinvasion.

The prognostic significance of a diffusely infiltrative intramyometrial growth pattern was evaluated in 110 cases of low-stage (stages I and II) endometrial adenocarcinoma. Fifty cases were associated with diffuse infiltration (DI group), and 50 cases had more conventional granulation tissue type intramyometrial infiltration (GTT group). Ten cases with carcinomatous involvement of deeply situated adenomyosis (ADMY group) were also studied. The diffusely infiltrative "adenoma malignum" growth pattern featured typically round, regular individual glands, clearly within myometrium but with minimal or absent stromal or inflammatory cell response. Myoinvasion of the conventional sort was characterized by irregular, sharply angulated abnormal glands within myometrium without interposed normal glands or endometrial stroma. The abnormal glands were surrounded, at least focally, by edematous stroma with granulation tissue type reaction and/or an inflammatory cell infiltrate. Mean follow-up was 77.8 months (range 3-219 months) for the patients with diffusely infiltrative myoinvasion and deep adenomyosis and 86.9 months (range 1-206 months) for the patients with conventional myoinvasion. Recurrence-free survival for patients with stage I disease and conventional myoinvasion (94%) was similar to that of patients with diffuse adenoma malignum infiltration (98%; p = 0.13). Survival rates for both groups were also similar. Two (4%) of the 50 patients with diffusely infiltrative adenoma malignum pattern of myoinvasion died of endometrial carcinoma 36 and 72 months after hysterectomy, and 2 (4%) of the 50 patients with conventional myoinvasion died 34 and 67 months after hysterectomy (p = 0.41). Survival in these patients correlated with depth of myometrial invasion and stage. There were no recurrences in the patients with deep adenomyosis. These results suggest that although endometrial carcinomas with diffuse myometrial infiltration are fully capable of aggressive clinical behavior, they do not appear to behave any more aggressively than those with conventional myometrial invasion. Prognostic indicators of clinically aggressive disease are similar to those that have been previously identified for endometrial carcinomas with the more conventional pattern of myometrial infiltration. They include cervical involvement, deep myometrial invasion, higher histologic grade, and lymph-vascular space invasion. Endometrial carcinomas with extensive involvement of adenomyosis and adjacent foci of minimal myometrial infiltration appear to have very low malignant potential, but the number of cases with this finding and adequate clinical follow-up is limited. This finding needs to be confirmed in a much larger series of cases.

Mixed hyperplastic adenomatous polyps/serrated adenomas. A distinct form of colorectal neoplasia.

We present the clinicopathologic characteristics of 110 colorectal mixed hyperplastic adenomatous polyps (MHAP) that exhibited the architectural but not the cytologic features of a hyperplastic polyp. They are compared with 60 traditional adenomas, 40 hyperplastic polyps, and five colonic polyps that contained admixed but well-defined hyperplastic and adenomatous glands (HP/AD). The patients with MHAP ranged in age from 15 to 88 years (mean, 63 years). Five patients had two or more (up to seven) lesions. MHAP measured 0.2-7.5 cm in diameter. They were distributed throughout the colorectum, but a slight preponderance of large lesions (more than 1.0 cm) occurred in the cecum and appendix. All MHAP were characterized by a serrated glandular pattern simulating that seen in hyperplasia (27% of MHAP were initially diagnosed as hyperplastic polyps). However, MHAP were distinguished by the presence of goblet cell immaturity, upper zone mitoses, prominence of nucleoli, and the absence of a thickened collagen table. Although surface mitotic activity, nuclear pseudostratification, and nuclear cytoplasmic ratio were greater in MHAP than in hyperplastic polyps, they were slightly less than in traditional adenomas. Thirty-seven percent of MHAP contained foci of significant dysplasia; 11% contained areas of intramucosal carcinoma. We conclude that these lesions reflect a morphologically unique variant of adenoma and suggest that they be termed "serrated adenoma" in order to emphasize their neoplastic nature. We further offer the hypothesis that MHAP may arise from the neoplastic transformation of a more differentiated cell in the crypt than the traditional adenoma.

Atypical fibroxanthoma. Multiple immunohistologic profiles.

The clinical, histologic, and immunohistochemical features of 37 cases of atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) are presented. Patients ranged in age from 13 to 95 years (mean, 69). Thirty AFXs occurred on the head and neck, and seven lesions developed on the trunk or extremities. The morphologic spectrum varied from a predominant spindle cell pattern with focal cellular pleomorphism to numerous bizarre epithelioid cells with multinucleated giant cells. The spindle cell component in these lesions ranged from 10 to 90% of the constituent cells. Most (31 of 37) AFXs also contained pleomorphic giant cells. Small numbers of S-100-positive dendritic cells were present in 11 cases. Five cases showed variable reactivity with anti-factor-XIIIa. Fifteen (41%) of the AFXs stained for muscle-specific actin or smooth muscle actin and 21 (57%) expressed CD68 (detected with monoclonal KP1), a monocyte-macrophage marker. Reactivity for these antigens was seen in all lesional cell types (spindled, epithelioid, and bizarre). Four immunologic profiles were observed: CD68 only (13 cases), actin only (7 cases), double positives (8 cases), and double negatives (9 cases). No significant differences in staining characteristics were observed in the head and neck versus the trunk and extremity lesions. These results expand the immunohistochemical spectrum of AFX, suggest the concept of heterogenous bimodal "fibrohistiocytic" and "myofibroblastic" phenotypes, and provide further evidence that an integrative, nonalgorithmic approach is necessary in the analysis of these and other spindle cell cutaneous lesions.

Desmoplastic and spindle-cell malignant melanoma. An immunohistochemical study.

The clinical, histologic, and immunohistologic features of 22 desmoplastic melanomas (DMM), 10 mixed desmoplastic and spindle-cell melanomas (DMM/SMM), and two cellular spindle-cell melanomas (SMM) were studied. Patients ranged in age from 35 to 91 years (mean, 67) and included 23 men and 11 women. Seventeen cases occurred in sun-damaged skin of the head and neck. 11 were on the extremities, and six on the trunk. Except for two cases, all were Clark's level IV or V. Twenty-two (65%) cases were associated with a recognizable overlying pigmented lesion. Thirty of 32 (94%) DMM and DMM/SMM were clearly positive for S100. S100 staining was limited to < 5% of the spindle cells in two DMM/SMM. All DMM were negative when stained with HMB45. Three DMM/ SMM were immunoreactive with HMB45, as were both SMM. CD68 staining was limited to < 5% of the spindle cells in two of 32 DMM and DMM/SMM and 20% of the cells in one of two SMM. Nine (32%) DMM and DMM/SMM contained significant numbers of spindle cells immunoreactive for SMA but not desmin. In five cases, the number of actin-positive spindle cells. Two color stains for SMA and S100 demonstrated that these smooth-muscle actin positive cells constituted a separate spindle-cell population, consistent with reactive myofibroblasts. This study indicates that the immunohistologic features of desmoplastic melanoma differ from those of conventional melanoma. If a problematic spindle-cell skin lesion is a suspected melanocytic process, HMB45 is unlikely to provide confirmatory (or exclusionary) evidence for the diagnosis of DMM. Similarly, because of the variability in S100 expression in this neoplasm, the absence of S100 staining should not be relied on too heavily to exclude DMM if the clinical and histologic features favor that diagnosis. Caution should be exercised in the interpretation of numerous actin-positive spindle cells in isolation of additional confirmatory or exclusionary data as desmoplastic melanomas may contain significant numbers of these cells.

Proposed criteria for the diagnosis of well-differentiated endometrial carcinoma. A diagnostic test for myoinvasion.

Existing criteria for separating clinically benign but architecturally complex or cytologically atypical endometrial proliferations (hyperplasia or metaplasia) from well-differentiated endometrial carcinoma are underspecified and poorly reproducible, in part due to the absence of a uniformly agreed on methodologically independent outcome against which to judge the efficacy of competing sets of criteria. Because myoinvasion is the first unambiguous indicator of clinically aggressive behavior for proliferations in this spectrum, we have employed the presence or absence of myoinvasion as a tool to develop clinically meaningful diagnostic criteria for the separation of complex atypical hyperplasia/metaplasia from well-differentiated carcinoma (CAHM/WDCA). We obtained the paired endometrial samplings and hysterectomy specimens of 520 patients; these were split into a training set of 306 cases and a test set of 214. The presence or absence of myoinvasion was assessed from an examination of the hysterectomy specimen. For the purposes of this study, myoinvasion was defined as the presence of irregular intramyometrial glands surrounded by a granulation tissue-like response. To determine the morphologic features that were most predictive of myoinvasion, a series of endometrial architectural, cytological, and stromal features was initially evaluated on the training set (149 myoinvasive and 157 nonmyoinvasive). Using a variety of exploratory data techniques including the classification algorithm CART, we developed a diagnostic rule for predicting myoinvasion that employed one architectural feature (glandular complexity captured by a pictorial architectural index) and two cytological features (nuclear pleomorphism and prominence of nucleoli). Extensive squamous differentiation, fibroblastic stroma, necrosis, stromal foam cells, and other cytologic features did not provide additional predictive value when cross-validated. The true misclassification rate of the CART-generated prediction rule was further assessed by applying the rule to the test set drawn largely from community hospitals. The sensitivity and specificity of this rule for detecting myoinvasion was 99.5 and 57%. The likelihood ratio was 2:1, (i.e., using prior odds of myoinvasion in the CAHM/WDCA spectrum of 1:10, the posterior odds on myoinvasion using the CART-generated rule would be 1:5). Comparison of the CART-generated myoinvasion prediction rule with the Kurman and Norris endometrial stromal invasion criteria for well differentiated endometrial carcinoma (25), using receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) techniques, demonstrated a significant improvement in the ability to separate myoinvasive from non-myoinvasive endometrial proliferations with the CART-generated rule; the average area under the curve for the CART-generated rule was 0.78 (SE = 0.02) versus 0.67 (SE = 0.03) for the endometrial stromal invasion criteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Atypical polypoid adenomyofibromas (atypical polypoid adenomyomas) of the uterus. A clinicopathologic study of 55 cases.

We present the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of 55 atypical polypoid adenomyofibromas, a definitional expansion of an entity previously reported as "atypical polypoid adenomyoma" (APA) of the uterus. Patients ranged in age from 25 to 73 (mean, 39.9) years. All but two of the patients were premenopausal, and 14 were undergoing evaluation for infertility. Histologically, the lesions featured a biphasic proliferation of architecturally complex and cytologically atypical endometrial glands within a myofibromatous stroma. The histologic pattern ranged from widely separated and loosely clustered irregular but branched glands embedded in broad zones of cellular myofibromatous stroma to those possessing crowded, markedly complex, branching glands separated by sparse intersecting fascicles of fibromuscular tissue. The stroma in all cases was actin or desmin positive or both. Morular/squamous metaplasia was present in all but two cases and florid in most. All cases exhibited architecturally complex glands, and in 25 cases the architectural complexity was indistinguishable from that of well-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma, as we have defined it; that is, they had a high architectural index. Twenty-nine patients were initially treated with polypectomy or curettage followed by hormonal therapy; persistent or recurrent APA developed in 45% of the patients in this group (33% with low architectural index vs. 60% with high architectural index). Five patients had successful pregnancies despite persistent disease. Superficial myoinvasion was identified in the hysterectomy specimen in two of 12 APAs with a high architectural index but not in 21 APAs with a low architectural index. All patients are alive and well 1 to 112 months after diagnosis (mean, 25.2 months). On the basis of this study, we propose that APAs with markedly complex glands (high architectural index) be designated "atypical polypoid adenomyofibromas of low malignant potential" (APA-LMP) to emphasize the potential risk for myometrial invasion. A treatment program featuring local excision accompanied by close follow-up is warranted for APA despite the presence of recurrent or persistent disease. Patients with APA-LMP may also, in selected cases, be managed with less than hysterectomy, although (as with the usual well-differentiated carcinoma) there is a small but definite risk associated with this approach.

Esophageal submucosal gland duct adenoma.

An 81-year-old man with a 3-year history of dysphagia underwent endoscopic resection of a 1-cm-diameter distal esophageal mass. Examination revealed a submucosal neoplasm with a circumscribed growth pattern composed of tubules, cysts, and papillae in association with a marked interstitial lymphoid infiltrate. The cyst lumens and papillae were lined by two to six layers of cytologically bland cuboidal to columnar cells with rare mitotic figures. The basal layer of cells was uniformly positive for smooth-muscle actin. Mucin-positive intracytoplasmic lumens were focally present, but cytoplasmic mucin was not seen. There was no evidence of Barrett's metaplastic epithelium. These features are similar to those in two, possibly three, previously reported cases of esophageal adenomas and bear a resemblance to sialadenoma papilliferum, a rare neoplasm of the minor salivary glands. Their clinicopathologic and immunohistologic features suggest that these neoplasms derive from the submucosal gland ducts. Comparison with the previously reported cases indicates that although the proportions of the various components (tubules, cysts, and papillae) may vary, all cases appear to pursue a slowly growing, clinically indolent course with no evidence of recurrence after complete resection.

Value of inhibin in the identification of granulosa cell tumors of the ovary.

Inhibins are peptide hormones that participate in the regulation of the pituitary-gonadal feedback system and are selectively expressed by cells of sex cord-stromal derivation. To determine the efficacy of this marker for distinguishing granulosa cell tumors, 134 primary and metastatic lesions of the ovary were evaluated for expression of the alpha-subunit of inhibin in routinely processed formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. A variety of sex cord-stromal tumors (SCST), including 35 adult and juvenile granulosa cell tumors, 14 fibroma-thecomas, and 18 other sex cord-stromal proliferations, were studied. In addition, 33 surface epithelial neoplasms, 12 germ cell tumors, 11 metastases, and 11 miscellaneous ovarian neoplastic proliferations were evaluated. Among the non-granulosa cell neoplasms, special emphasis was placed on primary neoplasms and metastases that histologically simulated granulosa cell tumors. Thirty-three of 35 (94%) granulosa cell tumors were immunoreactive compared with 2 of 12 (17%) primary ovarian endometrioid tumors, one of nine (11%) primary ovarian transitional cell (Brenner) proliferations, and 3 of 17 (18%) other primary and metastatic poorly differentiated (undifferentiated) carcinomas. In 31 of the 35 granulosa cell tumors, inhibin staining was of moderate to strong intensity or was present in at least half of the constituent cells, whereas only 2 of 33 primary surface epithelial neoplasms fulfilled the same criteria, showing weak staining of 70% to 80% of the cells. In contrast, 10 of 14 (71%) ovarian fibroma-thecomas and 17 of 18 (94%) other sex cord-stromal proliferations were positive for inhibin. Nonneoplastic luteinized stromal cells stained for inhibin in 29 of 85 cases in which they could be evaluated. The results of this study show that although it is not completely specific and cannot reliably distinguish granulosa cell tumors from fibroma-thecomas or other ovarian sex cord-stromal proliferations, inhibin can be used to help distinguish sex cord-stromal neoplasms from most primary and metastatic non-SCST. Caution should be exercised in the interpretation of inhibin-positive cells, because a wide variety of primary and metastatic ovarian tumors may contain significant numbers of positively staining luteinized cells.

Inhibin and CD99 (MIC2) expression in uterine stromal neoplasms with sex-cord-like elements.

Uterine mesenchymal neoplasms with sex-cord-like elements are designated as endometrial stromal tumor with sex-cord-like elements (ESTSCLE) or uterine tumor resembling ovarian sex-cord tumor (UTROSCT), depending on the extent of sex-cord-like differentiation. Occasionally, sex-cord elements similar to those in ESTSCLE and UTROSCT occur in uterine adenosarcomas. To determine whether the sex-cord-like elements in these tumors show immunohistological evidence of sex-cord differentiation, we studied a series of uterine neoplasms for expression of inhibin, a peptide hormone expressed by normal ovarian granulosa cells and ovarian sex-cord neoplasms, and CD99, a protein also expressed by granulosa cells, Sertoli cells, and some ovarian sex-cord tumors. Thirty uterine mesenchymal neoplasms (five epithelioid or plexiform smooth muscle tumors, three endometrial stromal tumors, two mixed endometrial stromal and smooth muscle tumors, 10 ESTSCLE, five UTROSCT, and five miscellaneous stromal processes) and five epithelial neoplasms were evaluated for expression of CD99 (clone 12E7) and inhibin (clone R1) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. Three of 10 (30%) ESTSCLE and five of five (100%) UTROSCT were inhibin and CD99 immunoreactive. Inhibin staining was confined to the areas with sex-cord-like differentiation, and staining was generally much stronger and more extensive in areas featuring prominent foam cells. There were no differences in the degree or intensity of staining for inhibin in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. CD99 expression tended to correlate with inhibin and was typically confined to similar cell types in the individual neoplasms. Weak CD99 immunoreactivity was seen in one additional epithelioid smooth muscle tumor, whereas all other mesenchymal and epithelial neoplasms studied for inhibin and CD99 were negative. These results provide further immunohistological support for true sex-cord differentiation within uterine mesenchymal proliferations and suggest that the degree of sex-cord differentiation may correlate with the expression of these markers.

Leukemia cutis. Analysis of 50 biopsy-proven cases with an emphasis on occurrence in myelodysplastic syndromes.

The hematologic, cytomorphologic, and cytogenetic features of 50 cases of leukemia cutis (LC), occurring in 40 patients, are presented. The patients' ages ranged from 19 to 75 years (mean, 42 years). The primary hematologic diagnoses in these patients included acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), 13 patients; myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), 19 patients; chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 3 patients; chronic granulocytic leukemia, 3 patients; and polycythemia vera, 1 patient. Leukemia cutis developed in one patient without any known prior or subsequent hematologic disorder. The 13 cases of ANLL included French-American-British types M1 (1 case), M2 (5 cases), M3 (1 case), M4 (5 cases), and M5 (1 case). Leukemia cutis preceded blood and/or bone marrow manifestations of leukemia in nine patients with MDS and one with ANLL. The interval from skin biopsy to systemic leukemia ranged from 3 weeks to 20 months (mean, 6 months). In seven patients with MDS and three patients with ANLL, LC occurred concomitantly with leukemic transformation. Only two patients with MDS and LC did not have progression to acute leukemia during the 20 and 24 months they have been observed. Diagnoses other than LC initially were considered in five of the patients. LC was characterized most often by a dense mixed cellular dermal infiltrate that circumscribed vascular and adnexal structures. Nine patients with MDS (47%) and one with ANLL (8%) had complex chromosomal abnormalities in their bone marrow samples at the time of LC. This article reports the occurrence of LC in patients with MDS and suggests that LC is an early manifestation of leukemic transformation in these patients. These results may be important in identifying high-risk patients for early interventional therapy.

Hematogones in the bone marrow of adults. Immunophenotypic features, clinical settings, and differential diagnosis.

Hematogones (HGs) comprise a B-lineage lymphoid precursor cell population in the bone marrow (BM) that may simulate acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma. Increased numbers of HGs have been noted in children, but few reports describe their occurrence in adults. We identified 13 adult patients with significant numbers of BM lymphoid cells with the morphologic and immunophenotypic features of HGs. Common features in these patients included (1) presence of small numbers of lymphoid cells in the BM aspirate with morphologic features of HGs; (2) absence of cytologic atypia or abnormal localization of lymphoid cells in the BM biopsy; (3) absence of abnormal morphology or CD10 (common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen) expression in circulating lymphocytes; (4) normal BM karyotype; (5) persistence of cytopenia(s) without apparent cause, often for a prolonged period of time; and (6) no evidence of neoplastic marrow involvement, confirmed by clinical follow-up. Flow cytometry demonstrated surface expression of CD10, CD19, a lower percentage of CD20, minimal expression of CD22, and limited but polyclonal immunoglobulin light chain. Nine patients had received previous immunosuppressive therapy or BM transplantation or both, seven for hematolymphoid neoplasia. However, four patients with cytopenias of unknown etiology had no antecedent history of malignancy or marrow suppressive therapy. These findings demonstrate the clinical, morphologic, and immunophenotypic features of HGs in adults, and emphasize the difficulty in distinguishing these cells from residual marrow blasts after chemotherapy.

Aggressive jejunal lymphoma of large granular lymphocytes. Immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, molecular, and DNA content analysis.

An unusual large cell lymphoma of the proximal jejunum with large granular lymphocyte (LGL) morphologic characteristics and T-helper/inducer cell phenotype is described. Although the cells strongly expressed Leu-7 (HNK-1), studies with antibodies directed against the more specific natural killer (NK) antigens, CD16 (Leu-11) and Leu-19, were negative. Ultrastructural analysis of the neoplastic cells demonstrated substantial numbers of electron-dense granules and rare parallel tubular arrays. Clonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor beta chain gene and germline configuration of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene confirmed the T-cell origin of the neoplastic cells. This lymphoma pursued an aggressive clinical course, with rapid dissemination to the lungs and central nervous system. DNA content analysis indicated that a similar DNA aneuploid population was present in the jejunal primary and lung tissue at recurrence. There was no evidence of nodal, peripheral blood, splenic, or bone marrow involvement. Morphologic and functional similarities between the lymphoid tissues of the gastrointestinal tract and lung have previously prompted a classification of the immune system into distinct peripheral somatic and mucosal components. Based on the distribution and migratory properties of the tumor cells in this case, the authors propose that this lymphoma arose from a minor mucosa-associated LGL subset that may be unrelated to circulating LGLs. In addition, these observations emphasize that prominent granulated cytomorphologic features may be seen in neoplastic disorders with the T-helper/inducer phenotype, as well as in the more widely recognized lymphoproliferative disorders of NK and cytotoxic/suppressor cell types.

Malignant granular cell tumor of the vulva in a 17-year-old: Case report and literature review.

Granular cell tumors are uncommon soft tissue tumors. Although the majority of these tumors are benign, a rare malignant variant exists which is aggressive, with local recurrence rates up to 70% and 3-year survival rates of less than 50%. We present a case of malignant granular cell tumor of the vulva in a 17-year-old, the sixth such case to be reported at this site. She was treated with a left hemivulvectomy and ipsilateral groin node dissection followed by postoperative radiation therapy. She remains free of disease at 16 months. Patients with malignant granular cell tumor or granular cell tumor of malignant potential are best managed with wide local excision and regional lymph node dissection.

Uterine papillary serous and clear cell carcinomas predict for poorer survival compared to grade 3 endometrioid corpus cancers.

To compare the survival of women with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and clear cell carcinoma (CC) to those with grade 3 endometrioid uterine carcinoma (G3EC). Demographic, pathologic, treatment, and survival information were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program from 1988 to 2001. Data were analysed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression methods. Of 4180 women, 1473 had UPSC, 391 had CC, and 2316 had G3EC cancers. Uterine papillary serous carcinoma and CC patients were older (median age: 70 years and 68 vs 66 years, respectively; P<0.0001) and more likely to be black compared to G3EC (15 and 12% vs 7%; P<0.0001). A higher proportion of UPSC and CC patients had stage III-IV disease compared to G3EC patients (52 and 36% vs 29%; P<0.0001). Uterine papillary serous carcinoma, CC and G3EC patients represent 10, 3, and 15% of endometrial cancers but account for 39, 8, and 27% of cancer deaths, respectively. The 5-year disease-specific survivals for women with UPSC, CC and G3EC were 55, 68, and 77%, respectively (P<0.0001). The survival differences between UPSC, CC and G3EC persist after controlling for stage I-II (74, 82, and 86%; P<0.0001) and stage III-IV disease (33, 40, and 54; P<0.0001). On multivariate analysis, more favourable histology (G3EC), younger age, and earlier stage were independent predictors of improved survival. Women with UPSC and CC of the uterus have a significantly poorer prognosis compared to those with G3EC. These findings should be considered in the counselling, treating and designing of future trials for these high-risk patients.

Classification of surface epithelial neoplasms of the ovary.

Surface epithelial neoplasms of the ovary, which represent about two-thirds of all primary ovarian neoplasms and almost 90% of all malignant ovarian tumors, are a variegated and heterogeneous collection of proliferations. The standard classification of ovarian neoplasms is the system developed by the World Health Organization in 1973; various studies, however, have found that observer variability for problematic cases is substantial. Prognosis and quality assurance make this variability a major concern. The authors examine the reasons behind this variability, the theories behind classification systems in general, problems of taxonomy, and the significance of confidence intervals. Appendices develop more fully the authors' approach to problems of classification and interobserver agreement, with notes on specific differentiated types of ovarian neoplasms.

Ki-1 (CD30) expression in differentiation of lymphomatoid papulosis from arthropod bite reactions.

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LP) is an uncommon cutaneous T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder that can mimic arthropod bite reactions clinically and histologically. Erythematous, crusted papules and nodules occur mainly on extremities of young adults and, when biopsied, display a superficial and deep perivascular infiltrate characterized by atypical lymphocytes and scattered eosinophils. Arthropod bite reactions may show an identical histologic pattern. It has been suggested that up to 10% of patients with LP will eventually develop lymphoma. We examined biopsies from 10 cases of LP and six cases of arthropod bite reactions diagnosed by clinical history and prolonged follow-up, with BerH2, an antibody directed against the Ki-1 antigen (CD30) and found it to be useful in helping distinguish between the two entities. All cases of LP examined showed scattered Ki-1-positive large, atypical lymphocytes in the dermis. In the arthropod bite reactions, there was virtually no staining with BerH2 antibody. This suggests that the abnormal activated T-cells, which comprise the cellular infiltrate in LP, are not present in arthropod bite reactions.